Trace-connector.



No- 826,947. PATBNTED JULY 24, 1906.-

1m. LAY.

TRACE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1905.

gwemw Q Vihwooe'o UNITED srA rias ILAEIENT OFFICE.

ROBERTJAMES LAY, OF CAIRO, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TO BENJAMIN SUMMERS, OF CAIRO, IVES'I VIRGINIA.

TRACE-CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed December 6,1905. $erial No. 290,625.

in the county of Ritchie and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trace-Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tracefconnectors, and provides an attachment that is adapted to be applied to a trace for the purpose of connectlng the same to the end of a swingletree or draft-bar, the device in which my invention is embodied being made from a continuous piece of resilient wire that is shaped to provide connected diverging bars which overlie one side of the trace and extend forward of the eye through the trace, thence across the upper and lower edges of the trace, and rearward parallel with the forward portions of the diverging bars and then ata11- gles beyond the longitudinal center of the trace, the shorter terminal member having a loop or return bend and an endthat projects to enter a perforation in the outer face of the trace, the other member extending beyond the loop and then parallel with the longitudinal center of the trace and upward to provide an outward extending loop and a pin which can be sprung upward to engage the opening through the swingletree to hold the trace thereon, such pin being susceptible of movement with the swingletree to prevent undue strain thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, by which I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showtrace-connectors as in use.- Fig. 2 is a side elevation, one of the outer members of the trace-connecter being shown as raised by the dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is an end view, the trace to which the attachment is applied be ing in section.

This improvement or trace connector is made from a single continuous piece of resilient wire of proper gage which is bent upon itself to form a curved part 4 and diverging bars 5 and 6 or an open-ended loop through which the swingletree is passed, such loop partially surrounding the eye ofthe trace. The forward ends of the bars 5 and 6 are curved outward and are bent to provide cross portions 7 and 8, that embrace the edges of a trace. When the attachment is applied, the spring-pressure of the cross portions assists in holding the device in place upon the trace, so that a slight variation in the width of the trace will be immaterial. On the front or outer side of the trace the upper member 9 extends parallel with the forward art of the bar 5 and is bent at an obtuse ang e, and this part 10 adjacent to its end is shaped to form a loop 1 1, the inward extending end 12 entermg an opening or perforation made in the face of the trace, the engagement of the end with the perforation 13 preventing the attachment sliding upon the trace when in use. The movable pin-carrying member of the attachment extends from the cross part 8 parallel with the bar 6 and is bent to extend upward at an obtuse angle, such part 14 underlying the part 10 and when unrestrained bears against the loop 1 1 and beyond the loop so as to extend rearward in a substantially horizontal portion 15, from which extends, at substantially right angles, a part 16, beyond which the wire is bent outward and upon itself and again inward to provide a part that may be readily grasped to raise the pin-carrying member, the pin 17 thereof extending below the normally horizontal part 15 to engage the opening through the swingletree.

In use the end of the horizontal part 15 will rest or bear upon the swingletree and'the pin will be capable of movement with'the swingletree as the same turns onits pivot. To detachthe swingletree or draft-bar from the trace, the outward projecting part of the attachment adjacent to the pin is grasped and the pin 17 is raised, as shown in dotted lines, (see Fig. 2,) and when raised the trace can be detached from the swingletree.

I claim 1. A trace attachment made up from a single piece of resilient wire that is shaped to provide diverging members that overlie one side of a trace, parts that span the edges of the trace, and terminal portions that overlie the face of the trace, one of the terminal parts having a loop and beyond the loop an inward-projecting end for positive engagement with the trace, the other terminal being overlaid by a part of the terminal having the loop, the loop restraining downward movement of such part and a pin formed upon the movable member of the attachment, substantially as shown.

2. A trace-connector comprising an openended loop, and continuations thereof that engage the edges of the trace when applied rearward-extending part and a vertical terthereto, a face member that extends rearminal 01' pin, substantially as shown.

Ward and downward and terminates with a 1 loop and an inward-extending end, the other ROBERT JAMES 5 continuation of the open-ended loop extend- Witnesses:

ing rearward and upward for engagement G. M. CAIN,

with the terminal loop beyond which is a HALL 

